WO1993010911A1

WO1993010911A1 - Device for preserving the outside of motor vehicles

Info

Publication number: WO1993010911A1
Application number: PCT/EP1992/002610
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stefan Esslinger; Wolfgang Schmidt; Günter Weihermüller
Original assignee: Industrie-Lackieranlagen Schmidt Gmbh
Priority date: 1991-11-30
Filing date: 1992-11-13
Publication date: 1993-06-10
Also published as: DE4139590A1; EP0545467A1; DE4139590C2

Abstract

New vehicles must be coated with a preserving agent, preferably an easily soluble wax or like, that protects the vehicle during transport or in the time between its production and sale. The windows, in particular the windshield and the rear window, must be free, so that the vehicle may be maneuvered or driven without impediments during transport. In order to avoid having to clean unnecessarily sprayed windows, they are covered in the disclosed device during preserving by means of a covering element (7 or 8) applied before spraying. Each covering element is mounted on a controllable, lowerable arm (5 or 6). In an embodiment of the device, the vehicle stands still during spraying and the device is moved along the vehicle, first in one direction then in the opposite direction. During the first pass, all top and lateral surfaces are sprayed, except for a narrow lateral edge. When the device returns, the remaining narrow edges are sprayed up to the windows. In a second emboodiment of the invention, the vehicle is moved through the device and the arms carrying the covering elements (7, 8) are in particular synchronically moved with the vehicle.

Description

Title: Device for the external preservation of motor vehicles

The invention relates to a device for covering a motor vehicle by means of a removable layer made of an external preservative, in particular made of wax, the preservative being sprayed on by means of nozzles and at least some of the windows being at least partially covered during the spraying. New automobiles are completely covered with a washable wax before shipping, especially before shipping, for the purpose of preservation. However, because short distances have to be traveled during shipping, it is necessary that the driver has a clear view at least to the front and back. As a result, the motor vehicles had to be freed from the wax again after being coated with the preservative on the windows or at least on the front and rear windows. This is a relatively complex work process. Preservation takes place in the known device in a continuous process, the entire upper and side surface of the vehicle being sprayed as a rule.

In order to avoid cleaning the front and rear windows, it was proposed to cover these two windows manually with a cardboard. This is a relatively complex work process and also leads to a relatively large amount of waste. Covering the side windows is completely inefficient in this process.

It is now the task of developing a device of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that the vehicles can be preserved with relatively little effort and in an economical manner, at least the front and rear windows being at least largely protected from coating in a simple and rapid manner should be.

To achieve this object, it is proposed according to the invention that the device of the type described at the outset is designed in accordance with the characterizing part of claim 1. The "division" of the device into a left and right "half" results in a gap through which the two arms with the cover elements for the front window and the rear window can reach. As soon as the vehicle is in the correct position in relation to these arms, the arms are moved down and the cover elements are placed on the windscreen or rear window. The vehicle can now be sprayed without spraying these two panes which are important for driving the vehicle. After the spraying process has been completed, the cover elements are removed from the windows by lifting up the arms and the driver immediately has a clear view at least to the front and back. However, it is easily possible to carry out the spraying in such a way that the side windows are at least largely kept free.

If the vehicle is in device during spraying, the control of the deliverable arms is relatively simple. Conversely, if the vehicle is driven or transported through the device, the cover elements must be moved accordingly. This makes one or two additional axes of the arms or robot arms necessary. Theoretically, a method of the device in relation to the vehicle is also possible, one

Relative speed exists between the two. In this case too, the stands 1 and 2 can then be moved relative to a frame of the device or also relative to a building in which the device is located.

As already indicated, each cover element is located on an adjustable arm, which is preferably a so-called robot arm of a known type. Before the - ι * -

Retracting or driving through the vehicle, both arms are in a raised position and they are only lowered when the vehicle has the correct assignment to the cover elements, so that they can be applied to the front or rear window in a simple feed movement. However, because the distance between the front and rear windows can be different for each vehicle type and the inclination of the windows is not the same for all vehicles, the end position of the robot arms or the cover elements held by them must be controlled so that the latter is always correct to the Discs are aligned or abut. The cover elements can be designed in such a way that they nestle against the various curvatures of the panes in order to prevent the preservative from penetrating between the cover element and the pane. If vehicles of different types are to be preserved in one and the same device, the size of the cover element depends on the smallest pane. The cover element is chosen to be slightly smaller than the smallest pane size so that the preservation can also grip the frame of the smallest pane. In this case, the larger panes are sprayed a little more in percentage terms, but this is not a disadvantage because the entire window area is not required for maneuvering during loading.

In order to get the least possible control effort when covering the front and rear windows, in Another embodiment of the invention proposed that the cover element is held self-aligning at the free end of his arm. In this case, it is sufficient if the arm or robot arm can only be pivoted or folded in a vertical plane. The vertical plane is of course approximately identical to the vehicle vertical center plane.

According to a first development of the invention, the vehicle can be transported by the device, the arms being able to be moved with the vehicle. It is particularly provided that the arms can be moved with the latter at about the feed or driving speed of the vehicle.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the arms are on a common or each on a carriage, carriage or the like. attached and the like on rails. Guides, especially the device, can be moved. The tracks or the like. However, guides do not necessarily have to be connected to a frame of the device; rather, if the local conditions permit or make it necessary, they can also be attached to the ceiling.

According to a second variant of the invention, it is proposed that the device be sprayed from front to rear in a first operation along the stationary vehicle and in a second operation from rear to back during spraying -> -

is moved in the front or vice versa, with all the surfaces facing upwards and to the side except for a narrow area around the side windows being sprayed in the first operation and at least the narrow remaining surfaces above and below the side windows being sprayed in the second operation. Spraying is not carried out here in a continuous process, but in a cycle process. In a first step, almost the entire top and side surface of the body is coated with the preservative.

In a way, three panels are laid, namely an upper panel that covers the bonnet, the roof and the trunk lid and two side panels that cover the left and right side of the car, i.e. essentially the doors and the fenders. Between these three webs there is an area that has not yet been preserved, which is the area of the side windows and the pillars in front of and behind the windows and possibly between the front and rear windows. If the three webs are laid in the lead of the device, one sprayed in the return of the device with a narrow web in each case the edge area of the side surfaces to the lower edge of the side windows and the lateral roof edges to the upper edge of the side windows. These narrow additional webs directly adjoin the broad, initially laid webs or slightly overlap them. Covering the side windows by means of adjustable cover elements is technically possible, but this would lead to an overly complex device. As a result, it is more expedient to approach the side windows closely in the manner described above and below, so that they remain essentially free. From the manufacturer's point of view, it is not undesirable to preserve the side window surrounds. In the case of the preservation described, only the pillars in front of and behind the side windows and possibly the center pillars between the front and rear window remain as free spaces. These must either be preserved in one of the two work steps or in a separate work step.

This device is characterized above all by a relatively simple structure with few axes of movement. This is the delivery and control of the spray nozzles or the like. Spray devices with little control effort. This applies even if you also spray the mentioned pillars in one of the two work steps. As a rule, one delivery of each nozzle or the like is sufficient. in the direction of one or a maximum of two axes, the third axis then coming from the movement of the device along the vehicle. Despite this low control effort, the device is extremely flexible, ie it can be easily changed from one vehicle size or one vehicle type to another. You can program the vehicle type into the control and then the infeed or the movement of the nozzles or the like if necessary. and switching the spraying agent flow on and off according to the respective vehicle type. In this way it is theoretically possible to use this device to conserve a wide variety of vehicle types in succession. In practice, however, the device will be used to preserve a certain series of vehicles and then to conserve another series, etc.

Although work is carried out in cycles here, the coating is carried out at least approximately as quickly as in the continuous process, which is primarily related to the fact that the vehicle is sprayed both in the forward and in the return of the device. A major advantage, however, is that after the preservation, all the panes are free as much as is necessary to drive the vehicle during loading and the like, thereby eliminating any manual work. Because the adjustable cover element can be used again and again, there is no waste, in particular no special waste.

From the foregoing, it is also readily apparent to the person skilled in the art that the nozzles used in the first operation spray relatively broadly because they have to spray large areas, while when spraying the remaining surfaces up to the side windows, there are special nozzles such as, for example, fine spray nozzles in connection with fan nozzles which emit a more or less sharply delimited jet.

When the vehicle is moved, that is to say driven or transported, and the arms are moved along, the body surface can of course be sprayed in the manner described above, so that the side windows also remain largely free in this variant.

If the device can be moved along or relative to the vehicle and the spraying is carried out in the above-mentioned manner, the left and right drives of each device half are not synchronized because the preservation does not depend on the exact synchronization of the two angles - or arc-shaped stand arrives. This also contributes to the simplification of the construction and the inexpensive production.

It is obvious that the two angle legs do not necessarily run straight and they do not necessarily have to enclose a right angle with one another, but it is certainly advantageous with regard to automatic control, in particular program control, if the approximately horizontal angle legs are along a Y axis and which extend approximately vertical angle legs along a Z axis. The device then travels along an X axis in this case. In order to make the device flexible, in particular to be able to spray motor vehicles of different heights, each approximately horizontal angle leg is advantageously mounted on the approximately vertical angle leg so that it can be raised and lowered.

An improvement in flexibility is advantageously achieved in that all the nozzles or the like. are movable and adjustable along their angle legs. In addition, you can also use adjustable nozzles if necessary, but at least interchangeable ones. Alternatively, the spray jet can be taken by suitable measures such as change the amount of material to be optimized by spray, horn and steering air.

A further variant of the invention results from claim 9. It enables the nozzle axis to be inclined with respect to the Z axis of the coordinate system and thus the most favorable alignment for the selected direction of travel of the device and travel speed.

Another particularly preferred embodiment of the invention describes claim 10. In this embodiment, the left and right half of the vehicle are each assigned at least two main nozzles and two additional nozzles, the majority of the vehicle being coated with the main nozzles and the preservative therefrom, for example, in advance of the device emerges while the uncoated surfaces, in particular narrow edges up to the side windows, are then sprayed in the return of the device by means of the additional nozzles. Because the nozzles run along their angle leg - II -

are movable, you can move them between two uses and thus adjust them to the next vehicle type. However, the movability can also be used in other ways, for example to follow the shape of the vehicle when spraying.

A further development of the invention provides that, measured at the height of the vehicle, the spray area of the main nozzle of each approximately vertical angle leg is less than the vehicle height from its lower edge to the side windows. This avoids spraying the side windows with the main nozzles. Corresponding configurations of the device which serve the same overall objective result from claims 12 and 13.

Claim 14 describes a further preferred variant of the invention. The air nozzle mentioned there, which preferably forms an adjusting unit with the associated additional nozzle, ensures a comparatively sharp-edged delimitation of the coating and thus the exact keeping of the side window parts which should not be sprayed.

The third roof pillar, that is to say the body area between the rear end of the rear side window and the side end of the rear window, has a relatively large area in many vehicles and, particularly in this case, it must be coated with wax in a targeted manner. Because of this, it can be very be advantageous when training the device according to claim 15. The two or normally the three pillars in front of, behind and between the two side windows can then be safely preserved with short sprays without the glass surfaces being completely coated. It is obvious that this also in this case, especially when using other nozzles can also be combined with each of one or possibly two air nozzles so that a relatively sharp-edged coating the two or three ^regions' is possible.

In order to be able to correctly align the vehicle with respect to all nozzles, a further embodiment of the invention provides that rails are provided for aligning the vehicle with respect to the angular stands, and this training can be supplemented by adding certain cavities or the like. attaches to the rails, which at least determine the correct position of one of the vehicle axles.

An embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to the drawing. The drawing shows this embodiment of the invention in cal atic representation. Here represent:

Figure 1 is a front view of the device with a vehicle to be coated; - J3 -

Figure 2 is a side view of the device.

Essential elements of the device according to the invention are two angular stands 1 and 2 and two controllable arms 5 and 6, each with a cover element 7 and 8. Each angular stand 1 and 2 consists of an approximately vertical angle leg 3 and an approximately horizontal angle leg 4. When embodiment, the two angle legs 3 and 4 are straight and they also include an exact ^'angle of 90 ^° to each other a. As a result, the horizontal angle legs extend along a Y axis of a coordinate system, while the vertical angle legs extend in the Z direction (FIG. 2) of the coordinate system. The two angular stands can be moved in the direction of the double arrow 9 (FIG. 2), this direction then forming the X axis of the coordinate system.

According to FIG. 1, there is a space between the free ends of the two horizontal angle legs, which allows the device to be moved in the direction of the arrow X when the cover elements 7 and 8 rest on the rear window or front window of a motor vehicle. These cover elements are located at the free end of a pivotable and collapsible controllable arm in the exemplary embodiment in a vertical plane, where they are expediently in each case via a universal joint 9 or a similar self-adjusting device at the free end of the Arm part 10 are held. This is connected via an axis 11 to the other arm part 12, which in turn is pivotally mounted on the drive 13. This arm or its parts are controlled in the manner known from robot arms, preferably program-controlled and therefore adaptable to the individual vehicle types or sizes.

In the exemplary embodiment there is a main nozzle 14 and an additional nozzle 15 on each vertical angle leg. The latter is attached at a height distance above the main nozzle. In addition, in this embodiment, each additional nozzle 15 is also assigned an air nozzle 16, the meaning of which will be explained below. According to FIG. 1, the air nozzle is located above the additional nozzle 15.

In a corresponding manner, each horizontal angle leg is provided with a main nozzle 17 and an additional nozzle 18 and an air nozzle 19. The nozzles 14, 15 and 16 can be adjusted separately or as a group in the vertical direction or the Z direction. The same applies to the nozzles 17, 18 and 19 of each horizontal angle leg 4.

At the start of spraying, the device is located behind the vehicle, for example. It then travels in the first direction in the direction of the arrow 20. In this case, the preservative emerges from the two side main nozzles 14 and the two top main nozzles 17. Spray the latter all surfaces facing upwards, i.e. the bonnet, roof and trunk lid. Before starting spraying, however, the two cover elements 7 and 8 were placed tightly against the rear window or front window of the vehicle to be preserved. It can be seen from FIG. 1 that the cover element 8 does not completely cover the front window of the motor vehicle. This is absolutely desirable in order to be able to completely coat the frame or the frame of the pane. The size of the cover by the cover elements 7 and 8 is completely sufficient for maneuvering the vehicle and in particular for moving out of the device.

As indicated in FIG. 1 with two dash-dotted lines, the main nozzles 17 spray the top of the vehicle together. However, the spray angle is determined so that the two longitudinal edges of the top of the vehicle are not sprayed. The spray angle of the two lateral main nozzles 14 is also determined accordingly. You spray the body from the lower edge to close to the side windows without spraying the immediate area below the side windows.

If the device has arrived at the front of the vehicle in the assumed direction of travel in the direction of arrow 20, a reversal takes place, in particular automatically. It now moves against the arrow 20 back to the starting position. All main nozzles 14 and 17 are then switched off - I -

and the additional nozzles 15 and 18 and the air nozzles 16 and 19 released for spraying. With the additional nozzles 15, the narrow area between the top of the side preservation that has already been carried out and the lower area of the side windows is now sprayed. Here too, as with the front and rear windows, the spraying can or should go slightly into the lower area of the side windows. However, in order to achieve a narrow limitation of the spraying of both the upper and the lower region of the side windows, an air curtain is placed with the help of the air nozzles 16 and 19, above or below which the spraying agent of the additional nozzle 15 or the additional nozzle 18 does not pass can. This ensures in any case that the majority of the side windows are not covered by the preservative.

If the vehicle is sprayed with preservative or wax in the manner described, only the areas of the side surfaces designated as columns 21, 22 and 23 remain without wax coating or the like. It is easy to see that these areas can be used, for example can spray the additional nozzles 15 and / or 18 or also with other nozzles not shown. With regard to a device that is as simple as possible and has only a few axes, it is probably the more advantageous solution if the three columns are sprayed in a third operation. The time required for this is far less because, on the one hand, the travel distance of the device is shorter and, on the other hand, between the three positions in each case - I -} -

can be driven in rapid traverse.

If the existing nozzles, in particular the additional nozzles 15 and 18 for the three columns, are used, it is expedient if these nozzles are attached to holders which can be extended and / or moved. Otherwise, as mentioned, the nozzles 14, 15 and 16 can be adjusted separately or separately in the direction of the double arrow 24. The same applies to the nozzles 17, 18 and 19, whose direction of travel takes place on the horizontal angle leg 4 in the sense of the Y axis or the double arrow 25.

From Figure 2 of the drawing it follows that the cross section of the horizontal angle leg 4 is significantly smaller than that of the vertical angle leg 3 and above all that a round cross-sectional shape of the horizontal angle leg 4 was chosen instead of the rectangular cross-sectional shape of the vertical angle leg 3. This angle leg can be pivoted according to FIG. 2 in the sense of the double arrow 26, so that the nozzles 17, 18, 19, which are rigidly but possibly extendable thereon, can optionally be set at an angle to the Z axis when sprayed.

According to FIG. 1, rails 26 and 27 of the device are attached to the floor of the space accommodating the device, which ensure correct assignment of the vehicle in the device to all nozzles and also to the controllable ones Ensure poor. Also in the forward direction of travel, a suitable and known device can be attached so that the vehicle also assumes a position that is at least constant with respect to one of the two vehicle axles in the travel direction 20 during preservation.

Claims

- 13 patent claims

1. Device for covering a motor vehicle by means of a removable layer from one

External preservative, in particular made of wax, the preservative being sprayed on by means of nozzles (14, 15; 7.8) and at least some of the windows being at least partially covered during spraying, characterized by an arcuate or angular shape arranged on the left and right of the vehicle during spraying Stand (1, 2), each approximately horizontal curved or angled leg (4) spanning approximately half the vehicle width and a passage gap for a front and rear, arranged above the vehicle, between the opposing free ends of the approximately horizontal curved or angled legs deliverable arm (5,6), in particular robot arm, is located and each arm carries a cover element (7,8) for the front window or the rear window of the vehicle and that is located on each horizontal (4) and each vertical arch or angle leg (3) at least one spray nozzle (17, 18; 14, 15) or spray device for preservation agent is located.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that - 2 o -

the cover element (7,8) is held self-aligning at the free end of its arm (5,6).

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the vehicle can be transported through the device and the arms (5,6) can be moved with the vehicle.

4. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that the arms can be moved with the latter approximately with the feed o "the driving speed of the vehicle.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the arms or the like on a common or each on a carriage, carriage. attached and the like on rails. Guides, in particular the device, are movable.

6. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the device is moved during the spraying in a first operation along the stationary vehicle from front to back and in a second work step from back to front or vice versa, all in the first step top and side surfaces except for a narrow area around the side windows and in the second step at least the narrow remaining surfaces above and below the - 1 ) -

Side windows are sprayed.

7. The device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each approximately horizontal angle leg (4) can be raised and lowered on the approximately vertical angle leg (3).

8. The device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that all the nozzles

(14.15; 17.18) or the like are movable and adjustable along their angle leg (3 or 4).

9. The device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each approximately horizontal angle leg (4) is pivotally mounted about its longitudinal axis on the approximately vertical angle leg (3).

10. Device according to at least one of the preceding

Claims, characterized in that each stand part (3, 4) has at least one main nozzle (14, 17) and the like, and an additional nozzle (15, 19) or the like. has and measured in the width of the vehicle, the spray area of all main nozzles or the like. the approximately horizontal angle leg (4) together is slightly less than the width of the vehicle or the individual body parts such as the roof, bonnet and trunk lid.

11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that measured at the height of the vehicle, the spray area of the main nozzle (14) of each approximately vertical angle leg (3) is less than the vehicle height from its lower edge to the side windows.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the spray area of each additional nozzle (18) or the like. of the approximately horizontal angle leg (4) corresponds approximately to the width of the space between the upper end of the side windows and the lateral longitudinal edge of the upper coating.

13. The device according to at least one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the spray area of each additional nozzle (15) or the like. of the approximately vertical angle leg (3) corresponds approximately to the width of the space between the lower end of the side windows and the upper longitudinal edge of the side coating.

14. The device according to at least one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that each additional nozzle (15, 18) or the like. with an air nozzle (16, 17) or the like. is combined, the air stream emerging therefrom being directed against the lower or upper region of the side windows and forming a deflector for the flow of the coating agent. - z ι -

15. The device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by a third operation, in which the device moves in the same direction as in the first or second operation, the nozzle or main nozzle (14) of the approximately vertical angle leg (3) in a raised Position or another nozzle of the approximately vertical leg (3) sprayed the roof supports or pillars.

16. The device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by rails (26, 27) for aligning the vehicle with respect to the angular stands (1, 2).